The sequel to the Eddie Murphy comedy classic “Coming to America” is reportedly in the process of being sold by Paramount Pictures to Amazon Studios in a deal said to be roughly worth $125 million.
The project is one of several that Paramount has offloaded to streamers this year, the most notable other being “Trial of the Chicago 7” to Netflix, but none compare to the size of this. Final details are reportedly still being hammered out, and two key consumer marketing tie-ins with McDonalds and Crown Royal are expected to transfer over to Amazon Studios along with the film.
Due to ongoing cinema closures and release date delays, Paramount has reportedly been exploring numerous options in recent weeks, including selling the rights in-house to CBS All Access, before the Amazon option was settled on.
Murphy returns as Prince Akeem who is set to become king of the fictional country of Zamunda when he discovers he has a son he never knew about in America – a street-savvy Queens native named Lavelle. To honor the former king’s dying wish to groom his grandson as the crown prince, Akeem and Semmi set off to America.